1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a means for feeding animals with liquid feed. The invention may in particular be applicable to animals which are kept, raised and reared in a commercial context, such as calves, pigs, sheep, goats and other mammals.
2. Description of Related Art
Known feeding devices for feeding animals such as pigs, lambs or calves generally comprise an artificial teat often known as a nipple, which is connected to a liquid feed supply. Feed may be selectively delivered to the nipple during activation of a feeding sensor in the form of a trigger type sensor provided at the nipple and configured to detect the presence of an animal feeding or seeking to feed. Optionally, identification means at or nearby a nipple may be provided in conjunction with an information system and controlled valve means to permit the selective supply of feed to certain animals. Feed quantity measuring devices may be used in conjunction with feed supply means for determining a quantity to be supplied and for allowing the quantity consumed by a given animal to be measured and stored.
Animal feed supply means which comprise a flexible nipple for supplying liquid feed from a feed supply container are known from e.g. U.S. Patent Application 2006/0201435, U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,769 and European Patent Application 1234497. In these systems, any given feeding device is provided with a suckling nipple which may be accessed by any one animal from a group of animals at any given time. U.S. Pat. No. 2,044,312 discloses a feeding device for calves comprising a liquid feed nipple which is manually pivotable between two adjacent enclosures.
The capital cost of installations for raising young animals is affected by the quantity and complexity of feed supply equipment needed for a given installation size. Moreover, the performance of these installations tends to be enhanced by greater sophistication and functionality of the installed equipment. A reduction of the level of equipment cost per animal can be achieved by reducing complexity and/or quantity of equipment, although this sometimes entails a corresponding reduction in functionality. In some cases, a greater level of sophistication allows a larger number of animals to utilise a given feeding point. Nevertheless, in many installations, it is the continued practice to keep animals in individual enclosures (single enclosures) or in multiple enclosures, each multiple enclosure holding a small number of animals. In such cases, it is normal practice to provide a feeding point at each enclosure. The utilisation level of each feeding point will thereby be lower in association with single animal enclosures than for feeding points which are accessible by a large number of animals. It is difficult to justify a high level of sophistication and functionality of feeding points which are provided in large numbers relative to the number of animals in a given installation and which may therefore each be utilised to a lower degree, thereby potentially limiting the efficiency of a feeding installation.